COMMANDO Remake Finds Writer/Director

While I wouldn't exactly consider Commando a classic, it's one of those movies I figured would never be touched in today's day and age. It's too silly, over the top, and flat out stupid to satisfy most of the "civilized" moviegoing audience out there now. The 1985 actioner starred the Governator, Arnold himself, as an ex-soldier who blasts his way through literally hundreds of armed goons in order to rescue his daughter from a ruthless dictator. If I had to point to one movie that epitomized the action movie standards of the decade Commando would be it.

Fox has been haggling over remaking Commando for years it feels like. Now it seems like they're ready to steam ahead, hiring David Ayer to both write and direct. Ayer's most recent works are both gritty, urban cop dramas, the Christian Bale starring Harsh Times and the Keanu Reeves led Street Kings. Ayer also wrote the screenplays for Training Day and Dark Blue, so his focus has been pretty much set on the cops walking the beat.

It's intended that Ayer will add a "real world" spin on the Commando story, with a more covert style and not as much of the running ahead guns blazing. Hm? That doesn't sound like Commando to me...

No word yet on who'll take over Arnie's role, but Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was at one time attached. Would he be a perfect fit? Yes he would.

I wonder if he'll make the protagonist a cop rather than a retired soldier? I wouldn't be surprised given his track record. If they're going to remake a movie like this then it needs to capture the same tone of the original. I don't want a serious Commando flick. What would be the fun in that? The entire reason Commando is watchable is because it's so outrageously awful. Can you imagine it played straight? Yuck. I'm afraid this is going to look more like Taken by the time they're done with it. Just you wait and see.

You can read more of Deadline's coverage of the story here.